Intelligence

By Massimo Calabresi and Adam Zagorin/Washington

The search for a notebook computer containing some of the U.S. government's most highly classified secrets is growing desperate. The device vanished from a heavily guarded facility in the State Department in January. State at first refused to give a description of the device, apparently fearful that an exact ID would assist foreign intelligence agencies in recovering the machine. But late last week, State took the unusual step of circulating an e-mail to staff asking for help in recovering a "black Dell Latitude laptop." Anyone with knowledge of its whereabouts was asked to call an officer in the Diplomatic Security Service. Senior intelligence sources tell TIME the Senate intelligence committee is threatening to take away State's clearance to store and produce the highest levels of secret documents. Coming after a string of major security breaches at Foggy Bottom, a committee bill with bipartisan support will be placed on the Senate calendar this week that would require CIA Director GEORGE TENET to certify State's compliance with security directives by the end of this year. A failing grade would be a severe blow to State's prestige and limit its effectiveness. Secretary of State MADELEINE ALBRIGHT has reassigned two officials and put the job of handling some highly sensitive documents in other hands.

--By Massimo Calabresi and Adam Zagorin/Washington